THE COVENANT OF GRACE PREACHED TO ADAM: Genesis 3:15
September 5, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Genesis 3:15
DOCTRINE: The promise in Genesis 3:15 reveals the mercy of God, the object of the Church’s faith from Adam to Abraham, the gospel in seed form, and Christ’s ultimate victory over Satan.
I. THE PROMISE IN GENESIS 3:15 REVEALS THE MERCY OF GOD; AS SOON AS MANKIND FELL INTO SIN, THE LORD STARTED PREACHING THE GOSPEL. “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and her offspring (seed); he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). Years later, Habakkuk’s prayer would be, “In wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2). The LORD did here in the garden. Matthew Henry said, “Here was the dawning of the gospel day. No sooner was the wound given than the remedy was provided and revealed.” See the loving-kindness of the Lord toward his people! When we deserve the hammer of the Law, He brings the pillow of the Gospel. When we beg for the judgement of Divine Justice by our sin, He gives us the medicine of Divine Gospel.
I) Use this truth to guide you concerning how to respond when others sin. Remember Genesis 3:15 when your kids sin. Say to them, “You need a Savior and you have one!” Remember Genesis 3:15 when your wife sins. Say to her, “Look at the Lord in Genesis 3:15 responding to Eve eating the forbidden fruit.” Remember Genesis 3:15 when your neighbor sins, especially against you. Say to them, “Look at the Lord responding to Adam who plunged the world into misery by his sin.”
II) Use this truth to guide you concerning how to respond when you sin. Say to yourself, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15).
II. THE PROMISE IN GENESIS 3:15 REVEALS THE OBJECT OF THE CHURCH’S FAITH FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM (Genesis 3:15). God has never left His people, in any age, without the gospel of Jesus Christ! Thomas Manton preached, “The words are dark in comparison of the larger explications of the grace of God by Jesus Christ which were after delivered to the church. Who would look for a great tree in a little seed? Yet the seminal virtue doth afterward diffuse and dilate itself into all those stately and lofty branches in which the fowls of the air do take up their lodging and shelter. So do these few words contain all the articles and mysteries of the christian faith, which are the fountains of our solid peace and consolation. In the seed of the woman is contained all the doctrine concerning the incarnation of the Son of God ; in the bruising of his heel, his death and sufferings ; in the crushing of the serpent's head, his glorious victory and conquest. As obscure as the words are, an eagle-eyed and discerning faith could pick a great deal of comfort out of them. ‘The elders,' mentioned Heb. 11:2, the antediluvian fathers, so famous throughout all ages for their faith and confidence in God, had no other gospel to live upon. Abel, that offered a better sacrifice than Cain; Enoch, that walked with God; Noah, that prepared the ark, did all that they did in the strength and upon the encouragement of this promise.”
III. THE PROMISE OF GENESIS 3:15 REVEALS THE GOSPEL IN SEED FORM (Genesis 3:15). Ezekiel Hopkins wrote, “That primitive promise (Gen. 3:15), that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, which lay for many ages under types and figures, at the birth of Christ broke forth into accomplishment. All those prophecies, all those ceremonial resemblances, which, containing a Saviour in embryo, were in due time matured by the Holy Ghost, until the truth of God gave them all their expected issue in Christ's birth.”
I) Genesis 3:15 reveals the seed form of the incarnation of Christ to redeem fallen man as our representative. The seed is “her offspring,” not his; not Adam’s. Christ took upon himself our nature, to redeem us as our perfect covenant head! “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:14-15).
II) Genesis 3:15 reveals the seed form of the redemption of Christ purchased by his death. The serpent is told, “you shall bruise his heel.” This is the seed form of the message of Christ crucified.
III) Genesis 3:15 reveals the conquest of Christ crushing the head of the serpent, Satan by resurrection, ascension, return. The serpent is told that the seed of the woman “shall bruise your head.” This is the embryo of that promise which says, “He shall reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor. 15:26) and “the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
IV. THE PROMISE OF GENESIS 3:15 REVEALS CHRIST’S ULTIMATE VICTORY OVER SATAN, HIS CONFEDERATES, AND THE WICKEDNESS THAT SPRINGS FROM THEIR SCHEMES (Genesis 3:15). That the serpent is Satan himself is evident from when John calls him “that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). Furthermore, that those who are not united to Christ by faith are Satan’s confederates or “seed” is evident from John 8:44 and Acts 13:10. “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires” (John 8:44). Paul says to Elymas, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10).
But now our focus will primarily be on Christ’s crushing or bruising the head of Satan. I love what Matthew Henry said concerning Christ’s bruising the serpents head: “Christ baffled Satan's temptations, rescued souls out of his hands, cast him out of the bodies of people, dispossessed the strong man armed, and divided his spoil: by his death, he gave a fatal and incurable blow to the devil's kingdom, a wound to the head of this beast, that can never be healed. As his gospel gets ground, Satan falls (Luke 10:18) and is bound (Rev. 20:2). By his grace, he treads Satan under his people's feet (Rom. 16:20) and will shortly cast him into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10). And the devil's perpetual overthrow will be the complete and everlasting joy and glory of the chosen remnant.”
Now consider Christ’s serpent-crushing work in these particular points:
I) Satan is an Oppressor, so Christ came to crush his head by healing His people from demonic oppression. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). ‘Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
II) Satan is a Liar and Deceiver, so Christ came to crush his head by being the Truth (John 8:44c; Rev. 12:9). “[Satan] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44c). “The deceiver of the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). Just as there is no truth in Satan, so there are no lies in Christ. He is full of truth! “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
III) Satan is a Captor, so Christ came to crush his head by binding him and plundering his house. (i) Those who are still enemies of God are in the snare of the devil, being captured by him to do his will. “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:25-26). (ii) Christ came into the world to establish the Kingdom of God by binding Satan and plundering his house. “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil” (Luke 11:20-22). “But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house” (Mark 3:27). (iii) Christ destroys the kingdom of Satan and advances the Kingdom of grace through the preaching of the gospel, as is exemplified in the sending out of the seventy-two. “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you’” (Luke 10:17-19).
IV) Satan is a Tempter, so Christ came to crush his head by breaking the power of sin over His people and providing them a way of escape when tempted. “And the tempter came and said to [Christ],” etc (Matt. 4:3). (i) Christ sets his people free from slavery to sin. “Having been set free from sin, [you] have become slaves of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18). (ii) God always gives a way of escape when believers are tempted. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). (iii) One of the works Christ came into the world to destroy was the habitual practice of sinning now. “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). (iv) In believers’ glorification Christ will destroy even the possibility of sinning, and that truth spurs us on to live holy lives even now. “When [Christ] appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).
V) Satan is a Devourer, so Christ came to crush his head by being a tender hearted Advocate who binds up the broken hearted. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). (I) Satan loves to sift people like wheat, by tempting them to despair after they have sinned. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32). Can Satan succeed in sifting when Christ is engaged in praying? Can your faith fail while Christ intercedes for you? (II) Christ loves to bind up the broken hearted, never crushing the bruised reed or quenching the smoking flax. “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1). “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice” (Is. 42:3).
VI) Satan is an Accuser, so Christ came to crush his head by dying and rising in order to intercede for His people. “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him” (Zech. 3:1). “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Rom. 8:33-34).
VII) Satan is a Murderer, so Christ came to crush his head by giving life and life abundant. “He was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Christ came to give us life by giving up his life in our place! “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
Now, Christ will finally and totally crush the head of the serpent one day, when Revelation 20:9-10 comes to pass: “And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
EXHORATION
I) You and have to resist Satan by humble dependance on God (James 4:6-7).“‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
II) You and I must stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”
III) You and I must be sober-minded and watchful because Satan prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8-9). “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
CONCLUSION: As we wage spiritual war, you and I need to remember and rest in Romans 16:20: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
